Ebola

Ebola

Ebola virus disease is a severe disease that causes hemorrhagic fever in humans and animals. It is spread through contact with infected animals, contact with blood, body fluids or tissues of infected persons, or contact with medical equipment contaminated with infected body fluids. It is not usually spread through the respiratory route.

There are Ebola outbreaks in several countries in the African countries of Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria (Lagos) and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Public Health Agency of Canada has issued travel advisories for these countries.

What should I do if I think I have Ebola virus disease?If you feel sick and were in Africa in the last 21 days, call Healthline 1-888-709-2929 as soon as possible.

What are the Symptoms?Symptoms of Ebola may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to virus. They typically include:

What is the Treatment?While vaccines are being developed, there is not yet a cure for Ebola. Treatment options include supportive care in an intensive care unit and strict isolation to prevent the infection from spreading.

Who Can Get Ebola Virus Disease?There have been no confirmed cases of Ebola in Canada. The current outbreak is in several African countries. As long as precautions are taken, there is low risk of contracting Ebola, even in a country where the disease is present.

Where the virus is present, people who have close contact with infected humans are most at risk. These people include laboratory or quarantine facility workers, hospital staff, and family members caring for patients.